Conveyer structure



MW. 18, 1941. A. E; w. JOHNSON ET Al. 7 2,262,894

CONVEYER STRUCTURE Filed Nov. 16, 1959 F504 {30 L6 Fg'g. 3

Eye (J4 1 I 32 I i I "11 \ldm'fi W 1% J WI '3 I I3 ER. Cira U65 5 WW I wag;

Patented Nov. 18, 1941 CONVEYER STRUCTURE Arnold E. W. Johnson, Chicago, and Earl R.

Graves, Oak Park, Ill., assignors to International Harvester Company, a corporation of New Jersey Application November 16, 1939, Serial No. 304,690

Claims.

This invention relates to a conveyer structure. More particularly it relates to a conveyer for a potato digger.

The conveyer structure of a potato digger normally consists of a plurality of spaced, generally parallel elements. Heretofore, it has been considered difiicult to connect the elements in a way economical to manufacture and yet allow the elements to stand up well during operation. In certain constructions, the elements have been provided with reversely bent ends which hook over adjacent elements. However, there has been excessive wear with this construction.

An object of the present invention is to provide an improved conveyer structure.

A further object is the provision of an improved conveyer structure for a potato digger which is cheap to manufacture and yet stands up well during operation.

According to the present invention a plurality of spaced parallel rods are provided. Connecting pieces extend between the ends of adjacent rods, one group of connecting pieces being secured against axial and rotational displacement with respect to alternate rods and connected to the remaining alternate rods in a way which permits rotational displacement and does not prevent axial displacement. The other group of connecting pieces is secured against axial and rotational displacement to the second mentioned group of alternate rods and connected to the first mentioned group of alternate rods in a way which permits rotational displacement and does not prevent axial displacement.

In the drawings Figure 1 is a view of one type of rod used for the conveyer structure of the present invention;

Figure 2 is a view of the other type of rod;

Figure 3 shows the first type of rod with connecting pieces secured thereto;

Figure 4 shows the second type with connecting pieces secured thereto;

Figure 5 is a plan view of a portion of the fin ished conveyer structure;

Figure 6 is a sectonal view along the line 66 of Figure 4;

Figure 7 shows a blank adapted to be used as a connecting piece for the conveyer structure; and,

Figure 8 is a section taken along the line 88 of Figure 7 In Figure 1, there is shown a rod Ill having transverse notches II therein at points somewhat spaced from the ends of the rod. -In Figure 2, there is shown a rod I2 similar in size to the rod I0 except that it has transverse 'notches I3 therein immediately adjacent its ends. As

seen in Figure 5, the rods Ill comprise a group of'alternate elements and the rods I2, another group of alternate elements in the finished conveyer structure.

A connecting piece I4 is formed of semicircular bar stock, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, and has one end chamfered, as at I5. The connecting pieces are bent to the shape shown in Figure 6, so as to have one hooked end I6 extending out straight, as shown in dotted lines and the other hooked end I! also extending out straight; As shown in this sam figure, a rod I2 is assembled with respect to the connecting piece I4 50 that it lies within the hooked portion adjacent the end I63 Then the end I6 is bent to its full line position of Figure 6, so as to extend into a transverse'groove I3. Thus, the connectingpiece I4 is secured to the rod I2 in such a way that there can be'no axial or rotational displacement with respect to the rod. Another connecting piece I4 is similarly attached to the rod I2 in the notch I3 adjacent its other end. In the same way, connecting pieces I4 are attached to the rod I0 so as to extend into the notches II and thereby be locked against axial and rotational displacement with respect to the rod II], as shown in Figure 3.

Next, the structures of Figures 3 and 4 are assembled. The rod I2 is placed within the hooked ends I! of the elements I4 which aresecured to the rod Ill. The association of the connecting pieces I4 and the rod I2 permits'rotational displacement of the rod I2 with respect to the connecting pieces I4 and does not prevent axial displacement. Another rod I I], which 'has connecting pieces I4 secured to it, as in Figure 3, is placed within the hooked end I! of the connecting pieces I4 which extend from the rod I2. As in the case of the rod I2, the association of the connecting pieces I4 and the rod permits rotational displacement of the connecting pieces I4 with respect to the rod I0 and does not prevent axial displacement. In this way, an entire conveyer structure is assembled, a portion of which is shown in Figure 5. It will be seen from this figure that alternate rods II] have transverse notches II somewhat spaced from their ends.

Alternate rods I2 have transverse notches l3 immediately adjacent their ends. Connecting pieces extend between the adjacent rods I0 and I2. one end I6 wrapped around the rods I0 so as to extend into the notches II, and the other end One group of connecting pieces I4 has the I! hooked around th smooth portion of the rods l2. The other group of connecting pieces I4 is located outwardly of the first group of connecting pieces and has the one end I6 wrapped around the end of the rods l2 and extending into the notches l3 and the other end I! hooked around the smooth portion of the rod ID. This arrangement of parts provides an improved structure which is simple and easy to manufacture and yet insures against wear of parts.

The intention is to limit the invention on within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel rods, alternate rods" having transverse notches at their ends, the remaining alternate rods having transverse notches spaced inwardly from the ends, a first grou er connect ing pieces having one end extending around. the ends of the first mentioned alternate-rods and into. the grooves therein in locking engagement and havingtheir opposite end extending around theends of the secondmentioned alternate rods outwardly of the grooves therein, and asecond group of connecting pieces having one end ex-- tending around the ends of the second mentioned rods in locking engagement with the grooves therein and inwardly of the first group of connecting pieces and havingtheir opposite ends extendingraround the ends of the first mentioned alternate links inwardly of the notches therein and the'first group of connecting links.

*2. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spacedparallel rods, alternate rods having transverse notches adjacent one end, the remain= ingalternate rods having transverse notches spaced inwardly fromoneend,'connecting pieces extending between the rods, alternate connecting pieces having one end extending around-the end of the first mentioned alternaterods andinto the grooves therein-and the opposite end extending around the'end of the second mentioned alternate'rods, the remaining alternate connecting pieces having one end extending around the end ofthe second mentioned alternate rods and into the transverse grooves Y therein inwardly of the first mentioned alternate links and having the opposite end extending around the endsof the first mentioned alternate rods inwardly of the grooves therein and the first'mentionedalternate connecting pieces. I

3. -A-conveyer structure including first and second parallel spaced rods having transverse grooves adjacent their ends, a third rod positioned between the said pair of rods parallel thereto and having transverse grooves spaced inwardly from the ends, a fourth rod parallel to andspaced from the second rod on the opposite side therefrom'of the third rod andhaving transverse grooves spaced inwardly from the ends,,a first pair of; connecting pieces having end. portions extending around the ends of the first rod and into the grooves therein and end portions extending around the ends of the third rod, a sec-- ond pair of connecting pieces having'end portions extending around the third rod and into the grooves therein inwardly of the first pairof connecting pieces and-end portions hooked around the secc nd--rod,v and a third pair of connecting pieces "having end portionsextending around the ends-of-the second rod and into the grooves therein outwardly of the second pair of connecting" pieces and end portions extending around theends of the fourthrod.

4. A' conveyerstructure comprising a plurality group of connecting pieces having one end connected to the ends of the second mentioned rods and extending into the notches therein in locking engagement and inwardly of the'first group of connecting pieces and having their other end connected to the end of the first mentioned alternate links inwardly of the notches therein and the first group of connecting links.

5. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spaced parallel rods having considerable length and adaptedto have direct conveying contact with material to be conveyed, alternat .rods having a recess adjacent each end, the remaining alternate rods having a recess spacedoinwardly from. each end, connecting pieces extending between the rods, alternate connecting pieces having-one end connected against axial displacement totheends of the first mentioned alternate rods by extending into the recesses therein and the other end connected for rotation to the ends of the second mentioned alternate rods, the remaining alternate connecting pieces having one end connected against axial displacement to the ends of the second mentioned alternate rods by extending into the recesses therein inwardly of the, first'mentioned alternate links and having the other end connected-for rotation to the ends of the first mentioned alternate rods inwardly of the recesses therein and the first mentioned alternate connecting pieces.

f 6. A conveyer structure including a plurality of parallel spaced rods having considerable length and adapted to have direct conveying contact with material to be; conveyed, a first group of connecting pieces having one end connected to each end of alternate rods against axial movement with respect to the rod and the other end connected to each end of the remainin alternate rods for rotation with respect thereto, and a second group of connecting pieces having an end connected against axialdisplacement to each end of the said remaining alternate rods inwardly of the first group of connecting'pieces and the other end connected for rotation to each end of the first mentioned alternate rods inwardly of the first group of'connecting pieces.

, 7. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spaced rods having considerable length and adapted to have direct conveying contact with material to be conveyed, a first roup of connecting pieces havin one end extending around each end of alternate rods so as to be connected against axial movement with respect to the rods and the other end extending around the remaining alternate rods for rotation with respect thereto, and a second group of connecting pieces having one end extending around each end of the said remaining alternate rods so as to be connected against axial displacement with respect thereto inwardly of the first group of connecting pieces and the other end extending around each end-ofthe first mentioned alternate rods for rotation with respect thereto inwardly of the firs group of connecting pieces.

' 8: A. conveyer structure as specified in claim 1,

the connecting pieces being of semicircular section, the fiat side being on the inside in contact with the rods.

9. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spaced rods having a transverse groove adja cent each end, each rod having considerable length and adapted to have direct conveying contact with material to be conveyed, a plurality of connecting pieces extending between adjacent rods, each of half of the connecting pieces having one end secured to one end of a rod and extending into the groove therein and the other end connected to the corresponding end of an adjacent rod but not extending into the groove therein, each of the other half of the connecting pieces having one end secured to the opposite end of a rod and extending into the groove therein and connected to the corresponding end of an adjacent rod but not extending into the roove therein.

10. A conveyer structure comprising a plurality of spaced members having considerable length and adapted to have direct conveying contact with material to be conveyed, and a plurality of connecting pieces, each of half of the connecting pieces having one end secured to an end of a rod against axial movement with respect to the rod and the other end secured to the corresponding end of an adjacent rod for rotation with respect to the rod, each of the other half of the connecting pieces having one end secured to the other end of a rod against axial movement with respect to the rod and the other end secured to the corresponding end of an adjacent rod for rotation with respect to the rod.

ARNOLD E. W. JOHNSON. EARL R. GRAVES. 

